An Empty Classroom
by WizMonCruWil
Summary: Hermione Granger is distraught after finding Ron and Lavender snogging again. When she goes into an empty classroom to be by herself and cry, she encounters Neville. Will she try to move on from Ron and give Neville a chance? And how will Ron react? Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: I Fancy You

**Chapter 1: I Fancy You**

Hermione Granger burst into the first empty classroom she tried, her face streaked with salty tears. She could not watch, and yet could not bear to look away from, Ron Weasley snogging Lavender Brown senseless. Ron, the man she had loved since she was a little girl, kissing somebody else. It was too much.

The door had scarcely closed behind her when a voice pierced the stillness.

"Had enough of Ron and Lavender swapping spittle, did you?"

Hermione jumped and wheeled around to find Neville Longbottom at a nearby desk, a Herbology book lying open. Her classmate smirked. "His snogging skills alone are enough of something to cry about, never mind who he's snogging with."

The dig made Hermione laugh, even if it came out in a choked sob. She had never known Neville to crack a joke or say a snide remark about anyone, but in this moment, it was much appreciated. He stood, and circled the desk to approach her, his eyes filled with concern and gentle understanding.

"You wish he was kissing you instead," Neville guessed.

Hermione guiltily nodded, and blushed. "I've never been kissed."

That made Neville blink in surprise. "I thought you snogged Viktor Krum fourth year. Everyone says you did!"

Hermione chuckled. "That was just a rumor, Neville. In fact, I was the one who planted it with Ginny, so that I could get those other girls who were jealous of me for going to the Ball with Viktor to shut up."

"Yeah, well, it spread a little _too_ well," Neville mused. "I think Ron got wind of it." He didn't say anything more, but he didn't have to; the implication hung in the air. Ron may have accepted Lavender's advances out of jealousy that Hermione may have snogged Krum.

Neville shook his head. "Ron doesn't know what he's missing."

Hermione raised her eyes to Neville's face, taken aback. Her brow furrowed as the possibility emerged... it couldn't be... "Neville...?"

"I fancy you, Hermione," Neville confessed. "You are brilliant, brave and have a good heart. And you have become quite beautiful. And if Ron can't see that, then, well..." He shrugged. "So, I was wondering: would you like to go out with me in Hogsmeade?"

Hermione thought for a moment. Neville was a wonderful, kind soul. Giving him a chance might help her to move on from Ron. And besides, hadn't she given Ginny the same advice when it came to Harry? Go out with other people, until maybe, one day... the right person noticed? Still struck dumb from his confession, Hermione found herself silently nodding.

Elated, Neville smiled and drifted closer; he was now right in Hermione's personal space. "I'm going to kiss you now, Hermione. Is that all right?"

Hermione nodded once again. She felt Neville's hands frame her face. Tilting her chin upwards, he bent and kissed her softly right on the mouth.

It was her very first kiss, so Hermione kept her eyes open wide for a moment, savoring the experience with all her senses. Neville tasted nice, like some of the most beautiful flowers and plants. He smelled of greenery and pine. Her eyes at last fluttering shut, Hermione gripped Neville by his hips and leaned into him, returning and even deepening the kiss. She hummed in pleasure, the sound making her lips slightly part, open to Neville so his tongue could slip inside. "Hmmm..."

After another moment or two, Hermione stepped out of the kiss, for the first time realizing what she had just done. And it left her in shock.

She and Neville stared at each other for a pregnant beat. And then, in the next instant -

Neither spoke with words or any prior communication. Moving as one, Neville and Hermione silently drifted back into each other's arms and shared another long, lingering kiss...


	2. Chapter 2: This Room's Taken

**Chapter 2: This Room's Taken**

Ron's long legs could hardly keep stride with how fast a giggling Lavender Brown was pulling him behind her, as they frantically searched for a place where they could be alone and snog. Trying the door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and finding that it gave, the couple burst in to find -

A very involved Neville and Hermione, kissing so hard and passionately, their lips looked like they were trying to swallow each other... and becoming bruised from the effort.

Lavender stopped short, her eyes wide with curiosity but also immense relief. It was heartening to see that her biggest rival for her new boyfriend's affections was... otherwise engaged.

Ron, meanwhile, stood with his mouth comically dropped open. Besides his surprise at realizing that it was Neville Longbottom - of all people! - whom Hermione was enthusiastically snogging, an angry fire of jealousy now burned through his heart. If he had had any doubts about Hermione snogging Viktor Krum, they were gone now.

At the sound of the door slamming, Neville and Hermione jumped apart, their limbs still wound about each other, flustered.

"Oops!" Lavender giggled. "I think this room's taken!"

She turned tail and ran out of the classroom, but Ron did not follow, slipping out of her grasp. "What the bloody hell is going on here?"

After a tense silence, Neville awkwardly cleared his throat. "Um... I'll leave you two be... I'll see you later, Hermione?"

He made to slip by them, but Hermione suddenly grabbed his arm. "Wait!" Spinning him around, she yanked Neville close and kissed him deeply and indecently with all the love and passion she could muster. Openly, in front of Ron to make sure he saw. She sprang away, gasping. "Hogsmeade, next Saturday week."

Neville smiled shyly. "It's a date." And he hurried out. As soon as he was gone, Hermione turned to face Ron, her glare murderous and her voice icy.

" _Right_ ," she snarled. "Let's get something straight: it is none of your business who I kiss or who I go out with, Ron..."

"It sure the hell _is_ my business!" Ron bellowed. "And if Harry were here, he would say the same thing! You're like our baby sister!" Though his voice sounded suspiciously and significantly more hollow on this last phrase.

Hermione gawped, awkwardly laughing in offense. "Oh, so I'm just another _Ginny_ to you? Is that it? You didn't see me objecting when you decided to go romping around with Lavender Brown!" That last part was a lie, and she had much more colorful ways to describe Ron's new booty buddy, but she wasn't about to give Ron any ammunition.

"She's just temporary!" Ron spluttered, caught flat-footed by Hermione's reliably sound logic.

"Well, then you better tell _her_ that before you string her along!" Hermione suggested, even as she inwardly smirked.

"Oh, like how you're stringing _Neville_ along?" Ron certainly knew how to verbally parry, in all their years of quarreling. Hermione glowered at him.

"Don't you _dare_ bring Neville into this conversation! He's a decent, loving, considerate boy, unlike someone else I know."

"He's not who you really want!" Ron insisted.

"And who are you to presume what I want?" Hermione growled.

"Lavender's not who _I_ really want!" Ron almost pleaded.

Hermione got right in Ron's face until they were nose-to-nose. "Well, who _do_ you want, then?"

It happened lightning fast. Ron grabbed Hermione and crushed his lips against hers as he kissed her. _Hard_.

Hermione's eyes popped open as she let out something between a whimper and a startled squeak. Never, in her wildest dreams, had she imagined that this would be how her and Ron's first kiss would go.

Just as quickly as it began, the kiss ended. Hermione stood flabbergasted; she seemed to have lost the ability to speak. Then -

SMACK! Her face hardening, Hermione slapped Ron across the face. From the way he stumbled back, the blow seemed to sting even more than those godforsaken birds had. His deep, impossibly blue eyes looked pained, ashamed. Contrite. But not because he regretted the kiss, oh no - his lips still tingled from the pressure of hers.

"Wait for me," he begged. "Please, wait for me, Hermione. Lavender will run her course, I promise, and then... you and me." He dove forward and pecked her lips one last time before she could object. Against her better judgement, Hermione closed her eyes and let herself relax into the kiss. "Please. _Please_ , wait for me."

Slowly, Hermione nodded, an understanding at long last passing between them. They were no longer just friends, with the promise of something more hanging beyond the horizon. If Ron was to be believed (and right now, in spite of everything, she was inclined to do so), he would be with her soon... romantically. Intimately. She couldn't ask Ron to remain faithful to her just yet - that was too much. Just as Ron could not ask for her fidelity in regards to her new... love interest. But Lavender and Neville would eventually fall. Hermione just had to wait, and hope that not too many people got hurt in the end. But she had spent years waiting for Ron. She could wait a little longer. "I will," she vowed.

Ron beamed, thrilled, and ran from the classroom. Once she was finally alone, Hermione let her kissed lips curl up into a triumphant, giddy smile.

Even as tears streamed down her face. Whether they were happy or anguished, she couldn't say. Maybe they were a little bit of both.


End file.
